Lucas Signals GOP Nutrition Deal- Stabenow Calls Concept a Roadblock to Final House Senate Deal 

House Republicans plan to propose a $40 billion cut to the nation's food stamp program, so says Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas who serves as the Chairman of the House Ag Committee. This would doubling the number of cuts proposed by the House Ag Committee that was reported out to the House in June.

Lucas said legislation on the food assistance program, known as SNAP, would be the second part of any talks on the U.S. farm bill with the Senate. Lucas told lobbyists during a lunch speech in Washington that a Republican working group agreed on cuts expected to total $40 billion and could include steps such as mandatory drugs tests and employment rules.

The House on July 11 passed a farm bill that was limited only to agricultural support programs, leaving out food stamps altogether. The two elements are typically twinned, as they were in the Senate version that was passed in June.

On Thursday afternoon, Democratic Senator Debbie Stabenow called the possible $40 billion cut in the Nutrition programs a roadblock being laid down by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. She indicated that the uncertainty of this proposal would likely mean less progress in any "pre conference" discussions that will be held with the House. 

Meanwhile, U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., made the following statement after reports of a House Republican agreement on a nutrition bill that would cut $40 billion from food aid programs:

"There they go again. Apparently, the Republican Leadership plans to bring up yet another political messaging bill to nowhere in an effort to try and placate the extreme right wing of their party. Clearly they have no interest in compromise or actual legislating." 

Lucas said staff-level work toward reconciling the two chambers' bills would continue during the upcoming five-week congressional recess - pre-conferencing before formal negotiations between the House and Senate commence. "I think we'll make great progress."

Click here to read more and to listen to a statement by Senator Stabenow.

 

Oklahoma 2013 Wheat Crop Yield and Quality Suprisingly Good, Schulte Says 

The abundance of Oklahoma's wheat harvest this year surprised almost everyone given the weather conditions producers had to endure. That's according to Mike Schulte with the Oklahoma Wheat Commission. Schulte spoke with me yesterday and will appear on this week's "In the Field" segment Saturday morning about 6:40 on News 9. 

"This was an extremely unusual year, a complete polar opposite from the year before which was an unusual year," Schulte said. "I think it took us by surprise seeing the yields that we saw even in the far southern regions of the state where we thought there was going to be a lot of 7- to 10-bushel wheat that ended up making 15 to 20 bushels to the acre. We got into the central regions of the state where we saw a lot of wheat making in the mid-30s with some instances and reports of even 50 to 60 bushels in central Oklahoma. As we got into northern and north central regions of the state, the wheat in that part of the state did really well, too-45- to 55-bushel averages.

"We had the extreme drought conditions with the late freeze situations in the far southwest and Panhandle regions and that is going to hurt us overall. But if you take the state this past year with what we've seen here this harvest season, I think we'll probably be somewhere around the five-year average which is much, much better than what we had anticipated."

You can read more or listen to our full conversation by clicking here.
 

EWG Blames Crop Insurance for 7.2 Million Acres of Wetlands Going Under the Plow

A new analysis released by Environmental Working Group shows that 1.9 million acres, or near 3,000 square miles of wetlands and nearby habitat, went under the plow in the United States between 2008 and 2012.

EWG's researchers found that over the same time period, 5.3 million acres, or 8,300 square miles of highly erodible land - mostly fragile grassland - was also plowed up to grow row crops.

Using modern mapping and geospatial technologies, researchers documented that the most dramatic loss of wetlands occurred in three states - South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota - the core of the critically important Prairie Pothole Region. Exploitation of highly erodible land is more widespread, with 10 states - Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Montana, North Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska - accounting for 57 percent of all the highly erodible land converted to cropland.

"The data strongly suggest that over-subsidized crop insurance policies are greasing the wheels of conversion to row crops," said Craig Cox, EWG's senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. "The government is picking up too much of the risk of plowing up and planting fragile land, all at a cost of billions of dollars to taxpayers and untold environmental degradation."

Click here to read more.

 

An Uncommon July Brings Drought Relief to Oklahoma

It was not the wettest July on record in Oklahoma, at least not on a statewide basis, says Associate State Climatologist Gary McManus. That record belongs to 1950's statewide average of 9.26 inches. Nor was it the coolest. That title is held by 1906's statewide average of 75.9 degrees. Nevertheless, this July will be remembered as one of the wettest and mildest in recent memory, especially compared to the blast furnace versions of the last few summers. It featured a July 4th holiday with highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s, and enough rain to kick drought to the curb across much of the state.

According to preliminary data from the Oklahoma Mesonet, July's statewide average precipitation total was 5.11 inches, a surplus of 2.37 inches and ranked as the 15th wettest since records began in 1895.

The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report reflects the abundant July rainfall, especially across the eastern two-thirds of the state. Only 1.4 percent of the state is labeled within exceptional drought. That is a reduction from 8.7 percent at the end of May. Over 62 percent of the state is now drought free, primarily from central through eastern Oklahoma. Only 41 percent of the state was free from drought at the end of May, according to the Drought Monitor.

You can see the latest maps and read more from Gary McManus by clicking here. 

Talking Checkoff Compliance and Checkoff Increase with NCBA's Forrest Roberts

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association is by far, the largest single contractor with the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion Board- researching, promoting and protecting on behalf of all cattle producers- not just NCBA members. As a result, the CEO of the NCBA, Forrest Roberts, says he understands how important the firewall is between the policy side of the organization and the checkoff activities that the group does for the CBB. In addition, you have under the umbrella of the NCBA the Federation of State Beef Councils- the state level organizations collecting the checkoff and making decisions about how they will spend their part of the checkoff dollar.

Roberts contends the compliance efforts of the group have never been better.

Beyond the compliance issues associated with current projects funded by checkoff dollars- Roberts says the policy side of the NCBA continues to have conversations with other groups to consider ways to increase beef checkoff resources by possibly increasing the beef checkoff. He points out that Australia markets about one fourth of the number of pounds that the US markets annually- but that they have a one hundred fifty million dollar budget, while the Beef Promotion Operating Committee will be considering how to spend less than forty million in the weeks ahead for the new fiscal year that begins October first. 

Roberts joins me on the latest Beef Buzz.  Click here to listen in or to read more of this story.  

 

Review of Simple Techniques Results in Low-Stress Stockmanship

This article by Ryan Reuter and Kent Shankles originally appeared in the Ag News and Views newsletter of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

At a workshop, we discussed low-stress cattle handling techniques with beginning cattle producers. The review was also helpful to remind experienced cattlemen of the techniques we need to employ when handling cattle.

A common misconception is that "low-stress" must mean "no pressure." That is absolutely false. Cattle, like all other animals, respond to appropriate application and release of pressure. There are times when significant pressure must be applied to get the animals to move how and when you need. Pressure, used appropriately, does not cause long-term, harmful stress.

A good cattle handler understands two key principles: flight zone (the "bubble" around an animal that, if invaded by a handler, will cause the animal to move away) and point of balance (the point, usually around the front shoulder, at which pressure in front of that point will cause the animal to stop or back up, and vice versa). When a stockman is at the edge of the flight zone and properly balanced, only slight movements are needed to control the animals in a low-stress manner. To make cattle speed up, walk against their direction of travel; to make them slow down, walk with them. As you pass the point of balance, notice how each animal responds to your movement and position.

Click here for more tips from Ryan Reuter and Kent Shankles.

 

Northwest Oklahoma grain sorghum producers have a chance to look at the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service's demonstration sites for hybrid evaluation, grain sorghum weed control efforts and listen to a discussion of stalk utilization. Three different sites will be reviewed across the area August 8th and 9th.  The tour will stop in Alfalfa, Kay and Major counties.  Click here for more details.

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Congressman Frank Lucas will hold town hall meetings in Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Harper, Texas and Woodward counties August 7 & 8.  All residents of these locations are invited to attend and express their opinions.  Lucas will discuss current events in Washington, take questions about issues important to constituents of the Third Congressional District, and ask for opinions and input on legislation currently before Congress.  Click here for times and locations.

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Cattle producers seeking ways to better manage their operations in ever more challenging business conditions should register now to attend the Aug. 10 Southern Plains Beef Symposium in Ardmore.

The symposium will feature sessions on the U.S. cattle inventory and structural changes in the beef industry, drought recovery strategies, and cow-calf traits in most demand by feed yard operators.  For more information, click here.